At halftime of Saturday night's match, things felt very familiar to the midweek. Atlanta United was trailing 2-0 despite having created substantial chances. There was still belief that a second half comeback could be in the cards, just like against Charlotte.
The difference this time around was in the legs. The minutes weighed on the 5-Stripes, playing their third match in eight days, and New England Revolution ran away with a 4-1 win.
What happened
Over the first five minutes, Atlanta United settled into possession slowly. Alexey Miranchuk was a point of contact on nearly every attacking movement. The 5-Stripes earned three consecutive corner kicks in the 5th and 6th minutes, but New England was quick to clear their lines.
Miguel Almirón forced the first save after a lengthy passing sequence from Atlanta United, but the shot in the 9th minute was saved rather routinely by Matt Turner.
Right up the other end, a familiar danger for Atlanta United did his thing again. Carles Gil scored a curled longshot, buried in the bottom left corner after skipping past a challenge in the 11th minute.
The strike was a backbreaker, especially given the 5-Stripes had all the momentum before it. In the five minutes leading up to it, they put three shots up and had over 56% of the ball.
But the visitors didn't let it deter them and immediately took the initiative again. Fafa Picault slipped behind the defense and put a dangerous ball across the face in the 18th minute, but no one got on the end of it. Cooper Sanchez did the same in the 22nd, but the Revolution defended the squared pass well.
New England took advantage of a set piece in the 36th minute as the ball recycled out to the wing. Alhassan Yusuf got in behind and played a ball to the near post, where Dor Turgeman squeezed a first-time shot off the right post and into the net for 2-0.
Almirón got a great look to get one back in the 40th minute, and he hit a shot past Turner in goal. The roller hit the right post and got cleared away. Two minutes later, the Paraguayan let a longshot fly, one which required a leaping save from New England's keeper to parry it away.
The first half unraveled not too dissimilar to Atlanta United's midweek match against Charlotte FC. Good chances for both teams, but it was the hosts that took theirs to command a 2-0 lead at the break.
Coming out of the break, New England were eager for a third and found it in the 56th minute. A rogue back pass saw the Revolution break four on four, and Yusuf whipped a ball to the back post that Peyton Miller converted with a tap-in.
New England weren't done there. The fourth goal, scored in the 66th minute by Brooklyn Raines, was a quick one-two-exchange through the middle of the defense. The 21-year-old had a comfortable finish to bury the match.
Atlanta United went out with their heads high, as Miguel Almirón got one back in the 85th minute via a lovely close-range combination. Miranchuk and substitute Cayman Togashi combined to find Almirón in the center of the box, and he thumped his strike into the net. The goal was the Paraguayan's 30th in all competitions for the club.
Luke Brennan kept the momentum going and got on the end of a couple of late chances, one a longshot and a one a header, but neither converted, and the match ended 4-1.
Milestones
- Miguel Almirón became the first player in Atlanta United history to reach the 30-30 club in goals and assists. He scored his 30th in the 85th minute, and the Paraguayan has 40 assists for the club.
- Alexey Miranchuk had six chances created, a career high for the designated player.
- Cayman Togashi picked up a secondary assist on Almirón's goal, his first of the season.
Next up
The 5-Stripes finally get back to a typical matchweek schedule, next looking to Philadelphia Union Saturday, Aug. 1. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Join fellow 17s for the club's Pub Pop-Up and match watch party, starting at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon at LikeMinds and CHIRINGA on the Beltline.
